Latch assembly



Nov. 30, 1965 c. M. MILLER 3,220,759

LATCH ASSEMBLY Filed Deo. 18. 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. M. MILLER LATCH ASSEMBLY Nov. 30, 1965 WMZ/ff W gg Filed Dec.

3,220,759 LATCH ASSEMBLY Charles M. Miller, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to The Adams & Westlake Company, Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 331,447 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-120) This invention relates to hardware for securing closure members in closed position and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a latch assembly for a hinged or sliding window, door or similar closure member.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved latch assembly which is adapted to provide a releasable connection between two relatively movable frame members or the like with the latch assembly being associated with one of the frame members and being adapted to engage a keeper forming portion or member on the co-operating frame member.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a latch assembly for holding in xed relation two relatively movable frame members wherein one or more latch Vtongues are integrally mounted on an elongate latch plate,

with the latter having a pivot forming rib extending along an edge opposite the latch tongues for mounting the Plate in a bearing support and an operating arm member adapted to be attached to the pivot edge for pivoting the latch plate against the force of a spring which normally urges the latch plate into keeper engaging position to disengage the latch.

It is another object of the invention to provide a latch assembly wherein a plurality of latch tongues are mounted in spaced relation along one edge of a relatively narrow, elongate latch plate having a pivot forming rib on its opposite edge which is adapted to be rotatably seated in a bearing forming support and to receive in adjustable sliding relation thereon an operating arm member which extends radially of the longitudinal axis of the pivot rib and which is adapted to be manually swung to pivot the latch plate out of keeper engaging position against the force of a spring which normally urges the latch plate into locking position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the latch mechanism which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of portions of a pair of window frame member in closed position and held by a latch assembly which incorporates the principal features of the invention, portions of the frame sections being broken away to better show the latch assembly;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational View with portions broken away showing the latch assembly mounted in the window frame sections;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary transverse section similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the latch assembly in the open or inoperative positions; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3, with portions broken away.

The latch assembly is illustrated in the drawings as it is employed for holding in closed position a sliding window frame of the type which is shown in co-pending application of Christensen and Gallup, Serial No. 307,751, tiled September 9, 1963. The illustrated window structure comprises a movable sash frame and a relatively xed sash frame 11. The movable or slidably mounted sash frame 10 includes a vertically disposed frame side member 12 which in the closed position of the frame 10 it States Patent O 3,220,759 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 occupies the position shown in the drawings relative to a vertically disposed co-operating or mating frame member 13 constituting part of the tixed sash frame 11. The frame members 12 and 13 are hollow sections of generally rectangular shape formed from extruded metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. The sliding sash 10 has a swinging or hinged movement about a vertical. axis near the end of its movement into closed relation with the xed sash frame 11, which axis coincides with the frame edge opposite the edge in which the latch assembly 15 is mounted. The sash 10, as indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 3, swings counterclockwise at the beginning of its yopening movement and clockwise at the end of its closing movement. This is required for the frame member 12 to move inwardly and clear the Vframe member 13 for subsequent sliding movement (to the left as viewed in FIGURE 3) when the sash 10 is opened, and 'to move into partially overlapped and engaged relation with the frame member 11 when the sash 10 is returned to the fully closed position of FIGURE 3.

The latch assembly 15 is mounted in the hollow frame member 12 which is provided on the inside surface of the front wall 16 thereof with a bearing forming recess 17 for receiving in sliding relation therein a pivot rib formation 18 extending along one edge of the elongate latch plate 20. The latch plate 20 is bent along a longitudinal axis as shown and provided on its opposite edge with two longitudinally spaced latch tongues 21, each of which has an abutment forming inside surface 22 facing in the direction of the pivot rib 18 and an adjoining rounded or curved outside surface 23. The edge of the plate 20 is cut away at 24,(FIGURE 5) between the latch tongues 21 and the latch tongues 21 extend in lateral or offset relation to the plane of the main body of the latch plate 20. The latch plate 20 is mounted so .that it extends across the inside portion 25 of the frame member 12, which has a rectangular cross section, with the latch tongues 21 disposed in slots 26 provided in the frame Wall 27 which confronts the vertical wall 28 of the frame member 13 on the ixed sash 11 and which forms one Wall of the Voutermost or outside section 29 of the frame member 12. The lixed frame member 13 is recessed at 30 and provided with a keeper forming edge 31 back of which the abutment forming face 22 of the latch lingers 21 engage, as shown in FIGURE 3, when the latch is in closed position. The latch plate 20 is urged towards the `closed position by a generally U-shaped spring member 32 mounted between the latch plate20 and a wall 33 of the frame member 12. A portion of the wall 27 indicated at 34 in FIGURE 3 forms an abutment stop for limiting the movement of the latch plate 20 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 3.

The latch plate 20 is provided with an operating linger or arm member 35 which is shaped as illustrated and provided with a recess 36 extending inwardly along one edge thereof with one side opening between parallel spaced wall members forming an entrance slot 37. The recess 36 and the slot 37 are of a size to permit the operator member 35 to be assembled with the latch plate 20 by a sliding movement longitudinally of the plate 20 with the pivot rib 18 entering the recess 36 and an adjoining portion 38 of the body of the plate 20 having parallel walls and seated in the slot 37 so that the main body of the linger member 35 extends in a direction radially of the axis of the pivot rib 18. An aperture 39 is provided in the front wall 16 of the frame member 12 to accommod-ate the linger member 35. The body of the linger member 35 extends outwardly of the face of the wall 16 so that when turning force is applied to the outer face of the finger member 35 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 3, it will swing the latch plate 20 to move the latch fingers 21 out of engagement with the keeper ledge 31 on the frame member 13.

The operation of the latch assembly 15 will be obvious from the description thereof. In the form shown in the drawings, when the movable sash is moved to the left to bring it into the position shown in FIGURE 3, that is, towards the vertical frame 13 of the fixed sash 11 the latch fingers 21 will automatically engage behind the keeper ledge 31 in the recess 30 and the frame 10 will be held in closed position. The latch fingers 21 may be released by depressing the member 35 a sufiicient distance to withdraw the latch fingers 21 against the force of the spring 32 (FIGURE 4). When the frame 10 is hinged or swung laterally of the frame 11 in a closing operation the curved faces 23 of the latch fingers 21 will strike the edge of the frame 13 and slide over the ledge 31 and into the recess 30 where the faces 22 will engage in abutting relation with the confronting edge of the ledge 31.

With the illustrated latch construction, all the latch members may -be assembled by axial sliding engagement with each other and within the frame member in which they are mounted. The latch elements are for the most part concealed within the hollow frame. One or more latch fingers 21 may be employed depending upon the latching engagement desired and separate keeper elements may be provided for co-operation with each separate latch finger or several latch fingers may engage with a single keeper forming element such as the ledge 31. The latch operating finger or push button member 35 may be positioned at any desired point along the latch plate 20 and more than one push button 35 may be provided so that the latch may be operated from different points. The

assembly requires no bolts, rivets or similar fastening elements.

While .particular materials and specific details of construction have been referred to in describing the illustrated form of the latch assembly, it will be understood that other materials and equivalent structural details may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by a hollow frame adapted to seat, when in closed position, against a co-operating, relatively fixed frame which is provided with keeper forming elements, said latch assembly comprising an elongate plate having a pivot forming rib extending along one edge and a plurality of latch fingers spaced along the opposite edge with each latch finger having an abutment surface facing in the direction of thepivot forming rib, said hollow frame having an internal bearing forming recess in which the pivot forming rib on the latch assembly is seated and slots in an oppositely disposed wall of the frame for accommodating the latch fingers, spring means urging the latch plate in a direction to project portions of the latch fingers through the slots in the wall of the frame and into engagement with the keeper forming elements on the'fixedframe,` and an operating .arm member extending radially of the axis of thepivot forming rib for manually swinging the latch plate against the force of said spring means in a direction to withdraw the fingers from engagement with'the keeper forming elements.

2. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by a hollow frame adapted to seat, when in closed position, `against a co-operating, relatively fixed frame which is provided with keeper forming `abutment elements, said latch assembly comprising an elongate plate having a pivot forming rib extending along one edge and a plurality of latch fingers spaced along the opposite edge vwith each latch finger` having an abutment surface facing in the direction of the pivot forming rib, said hollow frame having a front wall with an internal lbearing forming recess in which the pivot forming rib on front wall, spring means urging the latch plate in a direction to project portions of the latch fingers through said slots and into engagement with the keeper forming abutment elements on the fixed frame, and an operating arm member extending radially of the axis of the pivot forming rib for manually swinging the latch plate against the force of sai-d spring means in a direction to withdraw the fingers from engagement with the ykeeper forming elements.

3. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by a hollow frame adapted to seat, when in closed position, against a co-operating outer fixed frame which is provided with a keeper forming outwardly 'facing ledge, said latch assembly comprising an elongate plate having a pivot formation extending along one edge and a plurality of latch fingers spaced along the opposite edge with each latch finger having an abutment surface facing in the direction of the pivot formation, said hollow frame having an inner wall with an internal bearing forming recess which opens outwardly and in which the pivot formation on the latch assembly is seated and said frame having a wall disposed oppositely of the front Wall and in a plane normal thereto with slots therein for accommodating the latch fingers, spring means urging the latch plate in a direction to project portions of the latch fingers through said slots so as to bring the abutment surfaces thereof into engagement with the keeper forming ledge on the fixed frame, and an operating arm member extending radially of the axis of the pivot formation for manually swinging the-latch plate against the force of said spring means in a direction to withdraw the fingers from engagement with the keeper forming ledge.

4. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by a hollow frame member adapted to seat, when in closed position, against a co-operating, relatively fixed frame member which is provided with keeper forming elements, said latch assembly comprising an elongated plate having a pivot forming rib extending along one edge and a plurality of latch fingers spaced along the opposite edge with each latch finger having an abutment surface facing in the direction of the pivot forming rib, said hollow frame member having an internal bearing forming recess extending longitudinally therein adapted to receive the pivot forming rib on the latch assembly, said hollow frame member having a wall in oppositely disposed, spaced relation to said bearing forming recess with a portion thereof slotted for Iaccommodating the latch fingers and an adjoining portion forming an abutment which limits the pivoting movement of the latch plate in a direction to project portions of the latch fingers through the slots and into engagement with the keeper forming elements, spring means for urging the latch plat-e in the direction to engage the fingers with the keeper elements, and an operating arm member extending radially of the axis of the pivot forming rib for manually swinging the latch plate against the force of said spring means in a direction to withdraw the fingers from engagement with the keeper elements.

5. A latch assembly as recited in claim 4, and said operating arm member having a slot at one end thereof for receiving in sliding engagement therein the pivot forming rib on the latch plate.

6. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by a frame having a hollow section adapted to seat, when in closed position, against a section of a co-operating, relatively fixed frame which is provided with keeper forming abutment elements, said latch assembly comprising an elongate plate having a pivot forming rib extending along one edge and a plurality of latch fingers spaced along the opposite edge with each latch finger having a portion projecting laterally of the face of the latch plate and an abutment surface facing in the direction of the pivot forming rib, said hollow frame section 'having a wall with an internal bearing `formation extending longitudinally of the section in which the pivot forming rib on the latch assembly is seated and said hollow frame section having an oppositely disposed wall which extends in a plane generally normal to said first mentioned wall Aand which has apertures for accommodating said latch lingers, spring means urging the latch plate in a direction to project portions of the latch lingers through said apertures and into engagement with the keeper forming abutment elements on the lixed frame, and an operating member extending in a generally radial direction relative to the axis of the pivot forming rib for manually pivoting the latch plate against the force of said spring means in a direction to withdraw the lingers from engagement with the keeper forming elements.

7. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by an elongated hollow frame member forming a latch housing and adapted to seat, when in closed position, against la co-operating lixed frame member which is provided with a keeper forming ledge facing in a direction :away from said hollow frame member, said latch assembly comprising an elongate plate having a pivot formation extending along lone edge and a plurality of latch lingers yspaced along the opposite edge with each latch linger projecting laterally of one side of the latch plate and having an abutment surface facing in the direction of the pivot formation, said hollow frame member having a wall with an elongate internal bearing forming recess which opens in the direction of said fixed frame member and in which the pivot formation on the latch plate is seated and said hollow frame member having an oppositely disposed wall which is in a plane normal to said recessed wall and spaced therefrom with apertures for accommodating the latch lingers, resilient means urging the latch plate in a direction to project portions of the latch lingers through said slots so as to bring the abutment surfaces thereof into engagement with the keeper forming ledge on the lixed frame, and on operating member extending from the pivot formation for manually swinging the latch plate in a direction to Withdraw the ngers from engagement with the keeper forming ledge.

8. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by a hollow frame adapted to seat, when in closed position, against a cci-operating, relatively lixed frame is provided with keeper forming elements, said latch assembly comprising an elongate plate having a pivot forming rib extending along one edge and a plurality of latch lingers spaced along the `opposite edge with each latch linger having an abutment surface facing in the direction of the pivot forming rib, said latch assembly being adapted for mounting in said hollow frame with the pivot forming rib seated in a bearing recess and with the latch lingers adapted to project through slots in a wall of the frame, a spring adapted to urge the latch plate in a direction to project portions of the latch lingers through the slots in the wall of the frame and into latching engagement with the keeper forming elements on the lixed frame, and an operating arm member for manually swinging the latch plate to withdraw the fingers from engagement with the keepers.

9. A latch assembly for a movable closure which closure is characterized by a frame member adapted to seat, when in closed position, against a co-operating, relatively lixed frame member which is provided with keeper elements, said latch assembly comprising an elongate plate having a pivot forming rib extending along one edge and a plurality of latch lingers spaced along the opposite edge with each latch linger having an abutment surface facing in the direction of the pivot forming rib, said closure frame having a wall with a bearing forming recess in the face thereof which confronts the lixed frame member in which the pivot forming rib on the latch assembly is seated with the latch plate adapted to pivot into and out of keeper engaging position, spring means urging the latch plate toward keeper-engaging position, and an operating arm member extending radially of the axis of the pivot forming rib for manually swinging the latch plate against the force of said spring means in a direct-ion `to -disengage the keeper elements.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 621,452 3/1899 Fuller 292-120 2,498,508 2/ 1950 Rudolph 292-31 2,523,727 9/1950 Sevison 292-228 2,953,824 9/ 1960 Minick 292-228 3,163,891 1/1965 Seliger 20-53 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,220,759 November 3U, 1965 Charles M. Miller It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column l, line 49, for "member" read members Column 4, line 38, for "elongated" read elongate column 5, line 42, after "frame" insert which Signed and sealed this 27th day of September 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD I. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

8. A LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR A MOVABLE CLOSURE WHICH CLOSURE IS CHARACTERIZED BY A HOLLOW FRAME ADAPTED TO SEAT, WHEN IN CLOSED POSITION, AGAINST A CO-OPERATING, RELATIVELY FIXED FRAME IS PROVIDED WITH KEEPER FORMING ELEMENTS, SAID LATCH ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN ELONGATE PLATE HAVING A PIVOT FORMING RIB EXTENDING ALONG ONE EDGE AND A PLURALITY OF LATCH FINGERS SPACED ALONG THE OPPOSITE EDGE WITH EACH CRIMATING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SESING MEANS, AND RECTION OF THE PIVOT FORMING RIB, SAID LATCH ASSEMBLY BEING ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING IN SAID HOLLOW FRAME WITH THE PIVOT FORMING RIB SEATED IN A BEARING RECESS AND WITH THE 